What are EWC Codes?
The European Waste Catalogue (EWC) is a standardized European classification system used to categorize different types of waste.
It helps organizations classify waste consistently across reporting, supplier communication, compliance workflows, and emissions calculations.
The structure uses a hierarchical coding system:
Chapter – broad waste source category (e.g., “20 Municipal wastes”)
Subchapter – activity or process group (e.g., “20 01 Separately collected fractions”)
Waste code – the specific waste type (e.g., “20 01 01 Paper and cardboard”)
Some waste types are marked as hazardous with an asterisk (*).
EWC Codes in practice
EWC codes represent the most granular level of waste classification in the Klappir platform.
To make waste data easier to work with manually, Klappir primarily uses a more user-friendly UNSPSC-based classification structure across segment, family, class, and commodity levels.
EWC codes are connected underneath these commodity classifications to support:
Waste provider integrations
Detailed waste categorization
Emissions calculations
Standardized waste reporting
This means users can often work with simpler and more readable waste categories while still maintaining compatibility with official EWC classifications.
Working with waste provider data
Many waste providers already classify waste using EWC codes.
When EWC-classified data is imported into the platform, Klappir automatically maps the EWC code to the corresponding UNSPSC commodity classification.
👉 This allows users to upload supplier waste data directly without manually restructuring the classification.
Not sure which waste type classification to use?
Ask Askur in the messenger to get a general indication (we do not guarantee accuracy)
Use this external tool for identifying EWC codes: Tool
Ask your waste supplier or use the official EWC classification guidance.